what is with the number 47 and famous aircraft?

[the F-111C dude]

what is with the number 47 and famous aircraft?

eg; bell 47, ch-47, c-47

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

What about One Hundred and Eleven, ie BAC 1-11, He 111, F111

[Rael]

Sometimes its the Mk of the aircraft and sometimes its the year its made.

[the F-111C dude]

i guess so, but not whith the dakota or the chinook

[Ratch]

 Shouldn't that be 42 - the meaning of Life, the Universe and Everything

[Eckhard Scheer]

Good morning Gentlemen,

as an interested reader upon this Airfix forum I thought there is a question on which I can reply.

Bell 47 is the internal Model name of Bell Aircraft company, first issued in 1946. The Helicopter Bell Model 47 wastaken in service of US ARMY as H-13 . H = Helicopter, 13 = Procedure Code for the 13th helicopter in US ARMY service. It was also taken in service with US COAST GUARD, but with diffrent nomenclatura. The US ARMY mickname for Bell 47  H 13 is Sioux as all US ARMY helicopters have nickname basrd upon indian nationalities Cheyenne AC 56, Chocktaw H34, Blackhawk UH 60 etc. 

CH 47 is the US ARMY internal number code upon Boeing Vertol Model 114. C means Cargo< H means Helicopter. In combination it is CH 47 as nomenclatura on Boeing Vertol Model 114 as 47th Cargo Helicopter. It=s nickname is Chinook.

C 47 is US AIR FORCE nomenclatura for Douglas Commercial Aircraft DC 3. C is the militarz short form of Cargo. There is no second letter left, so it identifies it as an airplane. The ROYAL AIR FORCE called her Douglas Dakota.